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Ammunition Factory Footscray

Small Arms Ammunition Factory, Footscray · Commonwealth Ammunition Factory, Footscray · Footscray Ammunition Factory

1927 – May 1989

Government factory at Footscray, Melbourne, next to the Maribyrnong factories, that made small-arms ammunition such as rifle and machine-gun cartridges, and later other ammunition components, for the Australian forces.

How it came into existence

Formed in 1927 when the Commonwealth bought the Footscray works of the Colonial Ammunition Company, a private firm that had made cartridges there since 1888, and placed it under the Munitions Supply Board in the Department of Defence as the government small-arms ammunition factory. It was later known as the Ammunition Factory Footscray; the date of that name is not confirmed.

Changes during its life

  1. 26 April 1939Moved with the Munitions Supply Board to the new Department of Supply and Development.
  2. 11 June 1940Moved to the new Department of Munitions.
  3. 6 April 1948Moved to the Department of Supply and Development when the Department of Munitions was absorbed into it.
  4. 16 March 1950Moved to the new Department of Supply.
  5. 11 May 1951Moved to the new Department of Defence Production with the other government munitions factories.
  6. 23 April 1958Returned to the Department of Supply when the Department of Defence Production was absorbed into it.
  7. 12 June 1974Moved to the Department of Manufacturing Industry when the Department of Supply was abolished.
  8. 22 December 1975Moved to the Department of Industry and Commerce.
  9. 8 November 1976Moved to the new Department of Productivity, which took over the government defence factories.
  10. 3 November 1980Returned to the Department of Industry and Commerce when the Department of Productivity was abolished.
  11. 7 May 1982Moved to the new Department of Defence Support.
  12. 13 December 1984Moved to the Department of Defence as part of the Office of Defence Production when the Department of Defence Support was abolished.

How it ended

Transferred in May 1989, with the other government munitions and clothing factories of the Office of Defence Production, to the new Commonwealth company Australian Defence Industries Pty Ltd, which later closed the Footscray works.

Main functions

  • Manufacture of small-arms ammunition
  • Manufacture of cartridge cases and ammunition components

Where it sits

Last in the portfolio of Department of Defence.

Lineage

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Sources

Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.